In a year that's absolutely packed to the brim with exciting, big-name releases, Bethesda's Starfield still manages to stand out from the crowd. The first fully-fledged RPG from Bethesda in years, Starfield is abandoning the fantasy world of Tamriel and the wasteland in favor of the stars, space, and the countless planets players are going to be able to explore. And when it comes to Starfield's Sci-Fi setting, Bethesda has clearly been inspired by a plethora of iconic franchises that have come before it, and it should wear those inspirations on its sleeve.
Whenever a new Sci-Fi show, movie, or game releases, fans are quick to point out any similarities between it and every other Sci-Fi series that's come before it. And while this can get a little facetious, it might be in Starfield's best interest to get ahead of its inevitable comparisons, instead turning them into loving callbacks to some of the most beloved Sci-Fi franchises ever made - franchises which have surely inspired Bethesda's work on Starfield. And, of course, one of the biggest comparisons is going to be the galaxy far, far away.
Starfield Should Reference One of its Biggest Influences
Bethesda's games have always included a slew of references to the pop-culture world, most of which can be found simply by exploring the game's open-world. These Easter eggs often directly tie in with the genre of the game itself, such as The Elder Scrolls having a plethora of fantasy-themed references, ranging from broken swords that reference The Lord of the Rings' Narsil to a series of items on display that reference Simon Belmont's quest in Castlevania 2. The Fallout series is also home to a wide range of references, encompassing a variety of pop-culture topics from Titanic to Jaws to Dark Souls.
With Starfield revolving around space exploration and different factions, it seems inevitable that the game will include some sort of Star Wars reference at least once during its presumably lengthy runtime. And it wouldn't be the first time in Bethesda's history. Being one of the biggest and most influential franchises in the world, it seems only natural that Star Wars has found its way into most of Bethesda's games in one way or another. Fallout 4 features a manual that reads "Not the soldiers you're looking for," Skyrim has an ice cave with a dangling corpse, referencing Empire Strikes Back's opening sequence, and Fallout New Vegas features two burnt skeletons with the names Owen and Beru.
It seems more than likely that Bethesda's going to take its penchant for Star Wars to the next level in Starfield, with its setting allowing for seamless integration between its own galaxy, and a galaxy far, far away. Fans might expect to see some references to Star Wars ships and vehicles, with the iconic X-Wing and TIE-Fighter being amongst the most likely to appear popping in and out of the atmosphere. Some Star Wars characters or aliens might also make it to the game in a subtle way, like Wookies or Jawas. Maybe Bethesda might even go as far as to make an entire questline referencing the beloved Sci-Fi saga, perhaps tasking the player with stealing some plans or rescuing a princess.
It's also a safe bet to assume that Star Wars is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Starfield's pop-culture references. Sci-Fi fans can probably expect to see references from a wide range of other popular franchises, with some likely appearances being Star Trek, Blade Runner, Alien, and Dune. Bethesda's also been no stranger to including references based on other video game franchises as well, so fans may end up discovering some Halo, Metroid, or Mass Effect references as well.
Starfield launches September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.